Royal charity project helps Solihull people with dementia remember

Royal charity project helps Solihull people with dementia remember

Tuesday, 9 December, 2014

People with dementia at a Bentley Heath day care centre have received a helping hand with old memories thanks to a project completed by a group of young unemployed people on the Prince’s Trust Team programme at Solihull College.

After meeting people at The Family Care Trust Blanning Opportunity Day Centre in Bentley Heath, the Team of nine students felt inspired to make a difference. One member of the Team was so moved by the work, she is hoping to work further with those living with dementia – a condition which is expected to affect 850,000 in the UK during 2015*.

17-year-old Jess said the Prince’s Trust Team programme has made her see you can make a difference to others and by getting to know the small number of people with dementia, her confidence has grown and she started her work placement at the centre. To help fund the transformation of the room within the centre, the Team raised £450 by carrying out a sponsored swim – collectively swimming 228 lengths – and carrying out bag packing at a local supermarket.

The Team asked people at the centre for old photos – for which they received over two hundred and a small selection were then framed and hung on the wall. In addition the students filled the room with war time memorabilia and comfortable chairs.

Jess comments: “This project has really inspired me; I have grown really fond of the people here, especially Les. By talking with him and seeing how appreciative he and the others are, its made me see I can make a difference to others”.

69-year-old Les who attends the centre, comments: “I have never seen such a group of people work so hard, they have done an amazing job and I would employ all of them straight away. They have made a vast difference to the centre, it is always a pleasure to come here but with the new back room it is something we can all enjoy. I can’t thank the Team enough”.

Nationally, three in four young people who complete the Prince’s Trust Team programme successfully move onto training, education or employment.